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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23926270">The One That Got Away</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CameronJade/pseuds/CameronJade'>CameronJade</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Prince's Tale [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blame The Fandom, Emotional Manipulation, F/M, No Beta</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 21:27:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,006</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23926270</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CameronJade/pseuds/CameronJade</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Lily needs to respond. What does it mean when she knows what Severus doesn't?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lily Evans Potter/Severus Snape</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Prince's Tale [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2050584</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The One That Got Away</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>
  <strong>
    <br/>
    <em>Disclaimer: Still don't own this series. Unfortunate, really.</em>
    <br/>
  </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>  <strong><br/>    <em>Notes: Sequel to If Happy Ever Afters Did Exist and also written with the intention of being a song fic. The story, after I finished seemed to be missing a certain perspective, and in hearing this Katy Perry song, I figured out what it was. I had meant to write a final chapter, from James's perspective... but in all honesty, it's difficult for me to put myself inside his character. Maybe someday, but for now, I consider this story complete. Some parts of the book have been copied and adapted.</em><br/>  </strong></p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lily ducked into an abandoned classroom, tears streaming down her face. She flicked her wand, muttering destructive curses and breaking the desks and stacked chairs. She could see Sev's dark hair curtaining his face, his black eyes shocked, and hard when he looked at her and said… That word. <em>Mudblood</em>. She didn't know where it had come from. She could still hear him, as if it were yesterday, telling her being muggle born didn't matter. She had quickly learned that other Slytherins didn't share his views, and even more distressing, he was beginning to sound like them!</p><p>"Lily?"</p><p>Lily whirled, her eyes red and murderous. "What do you want, <em>Snivelly</em>?" she hissed, enjoying the quick flash of hate she'd seen when she had first insulted him. "Come here to call me more names?"</p><p>Severus shook his head frantically, his hair whipping from side to side around his frantic face. "No! Lily, I'm so sorry! I know you don't understand, but I <strong><em>HAD</em></strong> to do it!"</p><p>Lily wiped her eyes, sniffing haughtily at him. "You had to? I've been kind to you Severus! I'm the ONLY one who is kind to you, or so you say! I see Lucius Malfoy fawning over you all the time, talking to you all the time, and keeping you tucked under his wing. I know he practices Dark Magic Sev, and I've tried to pretend you don't, but I know you do. I've known for a while I suppose."</p><p>Severus rushed forward, grasping her by the arms. "You don't understand!" he wailed. "I hate them! They took an interest in my spells! They think I'm valuable!"</p><p>Lily scoffed, rolling her eyes. When his hands tightened on her shoulders, she cried out in discomfort. "You're hurting me!"</p><p>"I only said those things so they won't hurt you," Severus ground out, staring into her eyes. "Lily, I know you love me."</p><p>Lily gasped, flushing and avoiding his gaze. She tried not to listen, but she couldn't help herself.</p><p>"I've loved you since the moment I first saw you," he confessed. "I wanted to tell you for so long now, but I've always been afraid! Afraid that Malfoy would hurt you to hurt me. I couldn't let him know, so I broke us. I HAD to say those things so you're not in any danger. Do you understand Lily?" He reached out and tucked her red hair behind her ear.</p><p>Lily wiped her eyes again, which had started their flood anew. She buried her face in his robes and let his words soak in. He had loved her all this time, she had been right. Yet… he wasn't wrong. Sev had been forced into Slytherin, into the waiting jaws of Lucius Malfoy. Even worse were those arrogant gits, James Potter and Sirius Black, always cursing and hexing Sev, encouraging Peter and sometimes even Remus to join in. She couldn't be at his side to help him all the time… He had to turn to his fellow Slytherins, especially now. "Sev," she murmured. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to call you Snivelly... you know that, right?"</p><p>"It has to be this way Lily," he insisted, brushing her cheeks with his thumb. He looked at her whole face, her short nose, her full lips, her sharp chin, her flowing red hair, that wide forehead, and back to her eyes. "You have to hate me. And believe me, that name never bothered me..." He took out his wand and wrote the cursed name in the air, making letters of fire. He wrote quickly, rigidly, and without very much emotion. S-N-I-V-E-L-L-Y. He looked at her, and in that look, he let her see the pain the name caused him. How her friends, James, Sirius and Peter... even Lupin, in his pacifistic manner... and even Lily herself, had made him feel with just a word. Then he gently waved his wand and mentally moved the letters to form three separate words.</p><p>"Sev 'n Lily…" Lily read, hushed and awed. "Oh Sev…"</p><p>"Can't you see? It's always been you, Lily."</p><p>Lily couldn't help but forgive him. She knew he was trying to save her, just like always. She couldn't help but lean in and press her lips to his. Her arms wrapped around his neck and her hands tangled into his hair, along with her wand. It all made perfect sense. He had done his part, now it was time for her to make it real. "I love you Sev…" she whispered, pulling away to rest her forehead on his chest.</p><p>"You can't," Severus said, trying to push her away, but failing as his hands clutched her robes.</p><p>"But I do," she said firmly. "And I will continue to love you. Always."</p><p>The words seemed to paralyze him, but then he relaxed and that rare, sweet smile graced his lips. His black eyes were full of a joy she'd never seen in him before. It only made it easy for her next move. Leaning in to kiss his lips softly, one last time, she held up her wand and murmured "Obliviate…"</p><p>~~~</p><p>Lily waved Mary on when the Gryffindor girl came to tell her Severus Snape was outside of the portrait, claiming to stay there all night if he had to. She put on her best annoyed face, and marched downstairs. The façade was replaced with real anger and annoyance when James Potter blocked her path. "What do you want?" she growled.</p><p>Potter scratched the back of his head and rubbed his neck. "I came to apologize. I thought about what you said, and you were right. I shouldn't act like this. I've just been so angry, ever since I saw you two on the train, talking so happily about getting into <em>Slytherin</em>!"</p><p>"Not all Slytherins are bad, James Potter," Lily said coolly. "Merlin was a Slytherin, and he was a great wizard!"</p><p>"But, you KNOW almost all of them are joining You-Know-Who!" James insisted. "And Sniv- I mean… Snape. You <em>know</em> he's joining! He called you that… nasty word! Only Death Eaters care about blood purity!"</p><p>Lily snarled and pushed him back. "That's because stuck up pure bloods like yourself don't have anything to worry about! You're all wizard. I was muggle born! I've had to study extra hard, try more and work longer than most witches and wizards my age. Simply because I was born magical in a muggle world!"</p><p>James was dumbfounded. "I don't understand… I don't care about any of that stuff! I don't care if you're muggle born! It doesn't matter! "</p><p>Lily shook her head. He <em>wouldn't</em> get it. "No… it doesn't matter. I am a mudblood, and I'm not ashamed. What matters is how you treat people, Potter."</p><p>"You mean Snape," James pointed out, frowning.</p><p>"I mean your fellow Gryffindors, I mean the Ravenclaws you can't outsmart, so you hex them when you can. I mean the Hufflepuffs you tease mercilessly! I mean the Slytherins that you resemble! Even poor Peter!" Lily shouted, drawing attention. "Just grow up James! Figure out that it's not all about you, your family, your broomstick, or whatever else you think makes you "cool" and "popular", because whatever you think it is, you're wrong. <em>Dead</em> wrong. Now, if you'll forgive me, there's another person I wish to be rid of!" Turning on her heel, she gave into the small grin that crossed her face. If Sev had seen that… The thought brought pain to her chest, and by time she got to the portrait hole, not only did her heart ache, she knew what she needed to do. She had taken Sev's memory of their talk in the classroom, hiding it deep in her heart, along with the kiss they shared. That would always be her precious memory…</p><p>She opened the portrait, scowling at the taller boy. "You shouldn't be out here."</p><p>Severus looked up from his place on the second step from the top. He was tall, but from where he stood, he had to look up to see her.</p><p>Halfway out of the portrait, Lily held the frame tightly. She wanted to turn and flee back inside, apologize tomorrow. She didn't want to let him speak, he'd only try and say the things he said earlier. She couldn't hear it again.</p><p>"I just... came to apologize," Sev croaked out.</p><p>Lily huffed and walked out, closing the portrait behind her. She made a huge show of it, hoping the dramatics would unhinge him. It did and she stared at him blankly, waiting for him to continue.</p><p>"I'm sorry."</p><p>"I'm not interested," she snapped, her eyes narrowing into a firm glare. His voice had sounded so hurt, but it only fueled her mission, and kept her on course.</p><p>"I'm sorry!" the teenage boy said more intensely. He sounded on the verge of tears.</p><p>"Save your breath!" Lily snorted, crossing her arms over her dressing gown. "I only came out here because Mary told me you threatened to sleep out here."</p><p>"I was!" Severus said. "I didn't mean to call you a Mudblood, it just-"</p><p>"Slipped out?" she finished for him, picking the words out easily. It had been a common enough excuse he had given her in the past. "It's too late. I've made excuses for you for year! None of my friends can understand why I even talk to you. You and your precious little Death Eater friends – you see, you don't even deny it!"</p><p>The boy stood frozen, his chest had even stopped moving with his breath. He stared, his dark eyes wide with horror.</p><p>"You don't even deny that's what you're all aiming to be!" Lily continued quickly, before he could react. "You can't wait to join You-Know-Who, can you?"</p><p>Severus opened his mouth.</p><p>"I can't pretend anymore," Lily said sadly, holding herself together. "You've chosen your way, I've chosen mine."</p><p>"No – listen, I didn't mean –"</p><p>"– to call me Mudblood?" Lily asked, knowing she was running out of things to stall him with. "But you call everyone of my birth Mudblood, Severus. Why should I be any different?" Without another word, without a goodbye, and most of all, without a second glance, Lily turned from Severus and muttered the password, opening the painting and climbing through the hole.</p><p>She fled to the common room, one foot in front of the other, until she collapsed on the couch. She couldn't stop her sobs, though she made the attempt. She knew she had done all she could to finish the job Severus had started. He had tried to protect her; she had succeeded in protecting him. It was over between them, and they wouldn't speak again. She'd make sure of it. Slytherin house would never know about the love between the Lion and the Snake, and for that matter, no one else would either.</p><p>At the slight touch on her shoulder, Lily screamed and lashed out at the boy who knelt beside her. She threw her fists at him, pounding on his chest and telling him to leave, over and over. The messy haired boy, who smelled faintly of fresh grass, spring air and polished leather, held the girl who had captured his heart. He whispered to her, cooed that it would be alright, staring angrily at the back of the portrait.</p><p>Whatever Severus has done this time, James knew Lily would never forgive the boy who used to be her best friend. And James would never forgive him for making Lily cry like this. James held her until she cried herself to sleep, brushing her hair back as she slumbered peacefully. He wiped the tears from her face and bent down to kiss her temple. He never wanted to see Lily cry again… and if it killed him, he never would. He'd become the man she wanted, he'd take care of her, he'd make her happy… and maybe, just maybe… she'd fall for him, instead of that wet blanket. But he made up his mind; he'd never be kind to Severus… not for hurting Lily so carelessly.</p>
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